Pre-application queries for qualified accountant

[Marcus1986]

Hi all

 

My fiancé and I have recently decided that we would like take the plunge and apply for PR in Australia. After spending some time reading up on the process it really does appear a lot more daunting than initially anticipated. Finding this forum has been gold however so thanks to all the contributors. 

 

We we are both qualified chartered accountants, 30 years old, have been living together for 3 years and have over 7 years full time qualified experience in our field. We plan on applying for accountant general subclass 189. 

 

At this stage I am hoping that some contributors might have some advice on the following:

 

1) Assuming we get superior English results i believe we would each have 80 points as of today (am claiming 5 points for a skilled partner). My question is, do we apply as soon as possible or do we wait until next year at which point we will be married and have 85 points each due to 8 years work experience?

 

2) Do we each apply in our separate capacity with each other listed as partner? Or does just one of us apply with the other listed as dependent? Perhaps it would be better if we both apply as greater chance of invite?

 

3) I am resigned to the fact that we have to submit a skills assessment for our qualifications. However, is it compulsory to submit a work experience assessment if you want to claim experience points? Can you not just include all your work references etc when you do your actual application?

 

4) If I have to do the skills assessment, do all the employer references payslips etc have to be original certified? I ask this because we are not based in SA at the moment and have to get all this via email.

 

Many thanks everyone

[21yearsoutofrsa]

Accountants are currently on the skill shortage list, but currently require 70 points to get an invitation to apply. That's 10 more points than most skilled visa applicants. This is effectively a means of ensuring only the required number of accountants applying will get an invitation. On the demand/supply equation basically there are more people applying than required, so the points increase ensures that only the top applicants will receive an invitation.

 

There was discussion in the 2016/2017 migrant intake if accountants should be included on the skill shortage list at all.

 

I have no idea were the demand/supply equation is at the moment for accountants in Australia but based on the past year there is a possibility that accountants may not be on the skilled list for the 2017/2018 intake. Based on that I would not delay.

 

 

 

 

[TeeTMI]

Hi Marcus

Welcome to the forum.

 

To answer a couple of questions.

 

1) If you would be ready to move when the visa is granted then there is no need to wait.  The visa application criteria and requirements are subject to change at any time.  

 

2) Assuming you meet the requirements as a de facto couple (and it appears you should be able to do so) then you would generally aim to apply together as a couple (cheaper and more appropriate for other reasons as well).

 

[Marcus1986]

Thanks for the responses guys. You both pointed out my only real concern - that rules change or occupations get removed from list etc. so probably best to move things along as quick as possible. 

 

From what hat I understand and have read, the SOL list is currently being reviewed and will be updated and released around 1 July 2017. Hopefully for our sake the accounting profession will still be on there!

 

For anyone who may be interested and may be in similar position as us I gain comfort from two things:

 

- while "accountant general" is on the flagged list of occupations for potential removal, "auditor" is not. Therefore, if the accountant general is removed we can still apply under auditor (and if your visa is granted you don't necessary need to work in audit).

 

- I've just been reading the submission reports that the two Australian professional accounting bodies Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand as well as CPA Australia made in respect of the last SOL review - https://submissions.education.gov.au/forms/archive/2015_16_sol/pages/index

 

Both of these bodies had pretty emphatic conclusions and recommendations that the accounting profession as a whole get removed from the flagged list and the annual % caps get increased as there is a large skills gap forecast over the medium to long term. Instead they are in favor of raising/lowering the points requirements to regulate short term demand/supply. 

 

That said, I probably will still try and hurry things along and try and get things in before the 1 July SOL comes out!